Perfect Silence

Mother Teresa once was asked,
“When you pray what do you say?”
She said “No, I don’t, I listen”

“What do you hear, what does he say?”
She said, “No, he doesn’t”, He listens too
And if you do not understand, I can not explain.

When I was 22 years old, I went with my spanish friend to work at one of Mother Teresa’s Missions in Calcutta. At the end of the day, while we were sitting on the steps chatting and smoking cigarettes, approaching us is none other than Mother Teresa and entourage. At this age I was not comfortable smoking cigarettes around adults, especially not living saints, so I moved to snuff the cigarette but realized that it was already too late. As she approached, I felt I should stand to show my respect, but I was conflicted because if I stood I would be towering over her, so I stayed there, sheepishly in a half-crouch with my smoking cigarette. She put her hand on my shoulder and said, “Very good”. It took me 15 years to know what she meant.